1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-compartment cabinet having movable panels, cleats to hold plastic bags by their handles, and a drawer to store unused bags and panels.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are a number of prior art devices that provide a means to hold plastic trash bags in place. Additionally, there are prior art trash containers with a means to vary the number of compartments located therein. Although an exemplary inventory of trash bag holders follow describing various individual features, none of the prior art devices provide the combination of means for varying the number of compartments, a number of cleats to hold plastic bags by their handles, and a drawer to store unused panels and bags.
In its simplest form, some trash holders a dedicated to a predetermined number of units for receiving trash. U.S. Design Pat. No. 312,159, issued on Nov. 13, 1990 to Richard P. Martin, shows a multi-drawered trash receptacle without means to vary the number of compartments. U.S. Design Pat. No. 335,012, issued on Apr. 20, 1993 to Norman J. Broussard, discloses a three compartment cabinet having three separate top covers. U.S. Design Pat. No. 340,333, issued on Oct. 12, 1993 to Richard S. Duran et al., discloses a four compartment recycling cabinet. U.S. Design Pat. No. 370,105, issued on May 21, 1996 to Jackie L. Piner, discloses a multi-compartment trash and recyclable material receptacle. U.S. Design Pat. No. 313,684, issued on Jan. 8, 1991 to Deborah Ray, discloses a seven compartment trash receptacle which does not include means to vary the number of compartments. U.S. Design Pat. No. 332,676, issued on Jan. 19, 1993 to Stephen P. Benson, discloses a multi-compartment trash receptacle which does not include means to vary the number of compartments. U.S. Design Pat. No. 324,750, issued on Mar. 17, 1992 to Louis Tocci et al., discloses a three compartment trash receptacle which does not include means to vary the number of compartments. U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,838, issued on Mar. 21, 1995 to Razak A. Dosunmu, discloses a five compartment trash and recycling container which does not include means to vary the number of compartments.
Another group of inventions allow removal of rigid compartment liners, but are still dedicated in number. U.S. Design Pat. No. 319,519, issued on Aug. 27, 1991 to Gary Keir is entitled a waste can with removable compartments for recycling. U.S. Design Pat. No. 327,760, issued on Jul. 7, 1992 to Gerald E. Donnelly, discloses a four compartment trash receptacle which does not include means to vary the number of compartments, but allows removal of a rigid liner. U.S. Design Pat. No. 329,313, issued on Sep. 8, 1992 to Patrick Ward et al., discloses a similar changeable multi-compartment trash receptacle.
Another group of patents include holders with bag handle holding means for flexible bags, but which do not include means to vary the number of compartments. For example, U.S. Design Pat. No. 324,442, issued on Mar. 3, 1992 to Judith M. Metzger, discloses a four compartment trash receptacle having hooks in at least one compartment. U.S. Design Pat. No. 327,965, issued on Jul. 14, 1992 to Richard J. Chelec, discloses a multi-compartment trash receptacle having three separate lids with hooks in at least one compartment. U.S. Design Pat. No. 324,748, issued on Mar. 17, 1992 to Alan K. Bagamery, discloses a wire-type bag holder for a grocery store style handled plastic bag.
Several patents further disclose means directed toward customizing compartments. U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,998, issued on Apr. 14, 1992 to Dolly Caro et al., discloses a multi-compartment recycling receptacle having slots for receiving panels to thereby adjust the compartment sizes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,139, issued on Aug. 24, 1993 to Robert D. Bisceglia, discloses a receptacle for sorting recyclables having means to vary the number of bags suspended in the receptacle.
Others focus on holders for segmenting specific types of refuse. U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,523, issued on Oct. 23, 1990 to Arnor Bieltvedt et al., discloses a two compartment trash receptacle with first and second access openings for passing recyclable and non-recyclable trash. U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,268, issued on Feb. 8, 1994 to Normand Marsan et al., discloses a recycling container for segregating recyclable paper from trash, having a removable bin and a chute leading to the bin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,813, issued on Feb. 21, 1995 to Dennis C. Anderson et al., discloses a side by side, two compartment recycling container formed from plastic resin for holding conventional plastic bag held therein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,350, issued on Oct. 17, 1995 to James I. Johnson et al., discloses a three compartment collector dolly for recyclable materials such as newspaper.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a multi-compartment cabinet having the combined aforementioned features is desired.